You have to watch the big screen above the competition judges to gather what's going on in front and back in the kitchens.

Better yet upstairs in the press room you can get very up close and personal with the harried contestents preping their desserts on the big screen.

You can watch the chef judges expressions as they taste the creations of 21 world wide teams.

They must taste:

3 chocolate desserts

3 frozen fruit desserts

12 plates of desserts

Judge a sugar showpiece, a chocolate showpiece, and an ice sculpture. All this must be produced in a mere 10 hours and done to perfection after 2 years of practice, practice, practice. So in the end the judges job is quite an undertaking. I have no idea how they do it. I was felled yesterday with a mild tummy ache by a few bites here and there at SIRHA. The French team won this year coached by Frederic Cassel who also ran the Charles Proust Concours at the Salon du Chocolat. Still this event is full of tremendous fun and excitement, even if the cakes aren't for tasting. Come back in 2 years for the next Coupe de Monde de la Patisserie in 2015!

Carol, Amazing to see the insider back scenes of the show!!!!!..... You are la creme de la creme in behind the scene scoops.... How do these judges keep their "tastes" from not blurring into each other (???!!) Amazing!

What a place to be! It´s great to see a competition, a lot of adrenaline. One of the tasters was my teacher (from the Argentine team). I competed in a Pastry Championship and it´s great to have the experience. Your pictures are a dream to see. I´m loving your sketches as a start of the post. Ps. they don´t taste the whole cake, dessert, etc, just a tiny piece, and then they dissect it, like explorers. Hope to see few more photos! Thanks!!!

If you ever wonder if your blog is read - I have to say that I'm pretty consistent - I enjoy your photos and the content...spare but fun, always fun. But the point of this is to thank you for your blog on the 365 Project...I wound up buying the book (not the first book I've purchased on your recommendation, by the way) and have embarked on a 365 project of my own.Cheers!Barbara

What fun to be off to Lyon! Enjoy! Detox? Green tea? Pourquoi pas?But maybe you should try doing what they do at wine tastings, taste a little and then spit it out?LLOL!I would have no WILLPOWER at ALL! The only thing that stops me is the infamous "crise de foie"!Veronique